Fruit or vegetable crate



March 23, 1937.- F. D. THOMPSON. JR 2,074,598

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE CRATE Filed April 13, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Earl/r D m m 05 J1 ATTORNEY.

F. D. THOMPSON. Jl

March 23, 1937.

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE CRATE Filed April 13, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 D WE 1N VEN TOR. K D4 TIOiPON, J/e.

ATTORNEY.

March 23, 1937. THOMPSON JR 2,074,598

FRUIT OR VEGETABLE CRATE Filed April 15, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES FRUIT OR VEGETABLE CRATE Frank D. Thompson, Jr.,

to Wooden Container corporation of Ohio Application April 13,

15 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in folding boxes or crates and in particular boxes or crates for shipping fruit and vegetables, and

which may be used again and again for the same purpose, instead of only once as is customary with the usual crate.

One object is to provide means whereby a folding crate may be manufactured as a flat strip of units or connected parts, which, when set up become a complete box except for the top or lid I which will be a separate unit tobe nailed on.

Another object is to provide means whereby an end strip may be split crosswise and provided with bottom cleats and inverted top cleats and 5 swung into such position as to form the sides of the box.

A further object is to provide a means whereby an additional half unit may be secured tothe original strip of units or connected parts by suitable means, which when swung into position forms a middle partition in the box.

Further objects are to provide a folding crate of simple construction and compact form, in which each part or unit is connected to the next part or unit in such manner as to permit facility in assembling, handling and shipping.

Other objects and advantages may be noted from the following specification and its accompanying illustrations, in which- Fig. 1 is aplan view of the outside of the box as it comes from the machine which applies the cleats and the wire to the panels forming the box.

Fig. 2 shows a fragment of one corner of the bottom and one end of the box as it is being as- 35 sembled. Fig. 3 shows a fragment of one end unit and one part of the split unit forming the side unit, the arrow indicating the line of movement in assembling.

Fig. 4 shows the completed connection or union of the two parts shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the assembled box, one side secured in position between the two ends and the opposed side just entering its final 45 position.

Fig. 6 is a plan of a modified form showing an additional half panel which forms a center position when assembled.

Fig. 7 shows a fragment of one end and the 50 half unit being assembled.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of sembled modified box.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary portion of the'box showing the narrow cleat on the side panel and a wide 55 cleat on the end panel interlocking.

the completely as- Cleveland, Ohio, assignor s Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, 2.

1936, Serial No. 74,003 (01. 21712) Fig. 10 is a plan of a second modification showing two opposed ends cut to form sides to the bottom of the box.

Fig. 11 is a perspective of Fig. 10 assembled.

Referring to the drawings, a strip of panel units including an end panel In, a bottom panel H, an opposed end panel i2 and a split unit forming two side panels 13 and I4 are connected together by a pair of wires l5 and I50, at the side edges of each panel as shown in Fig. 1 and said wires form, in effect, flexible connections or hinges between the panels.

The end panel ID has a pair of cleats l6 and Il attached at the side edges respectively of the outside of the panel, the outer ends of the cleats iii and tively and the inner ends of said cleats having mortises I61) and llb respectively, the mortise or inner end of the cleats projecting somewhat beyond the adjacent edge of the panel Ill.

The bottom panel I I has a pair of cleats l8 and I9 attached at the side edges respectively of the outside of the panel, the ends of the cleats l8 and 19 adjacent to the end panel Ii) having tenons I8a and Na respectively, and the opposite ends of said cleats having mortises 18b and l9b respectively.

.The opposed end panel l2 has a pair of cleats 20 and 2| attached at the side edges respectively of the outside of the panel the ends of said cleats adjacent to the bottom panel it having tenons 20a and Zla respectively and the opposite ends of the said cleats having mortises 20b and 2|b, both ends of said cleats extending beyond the said panel l2, substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

The split panel section l3 has a cleat 22 attached at its outer edge and a reinforcing cleat 24 attached by suitable means at its inner edge adjacent the center split and the panel section I 4 has a cleat 23 attached at its outer edge and a. reinforcing cleat 25 attached at its inner edge adjacent the center split.

The inner ends of the cleats 22 and 23 have transverse or right angle tenons 22a and 23a, and the opposite ends of said cleats have transverse mortises 22b and 2312, the inner ends of said cleats extending to the ends of the split panels I3 and I4 substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

The wires [5 and IE1; are attached on the outside surface of the panels In, H and I2 at the edges respectively opposed to the cleats l6, l8, and 20 at one edge and l1, l9 and 2| at the other edge, the wire 15 being attached on what becomes the inside surface of the split panel section I3 opposed to the cleat 22, while the wire l5a is at-- I! having tenons 16a and Ila respectached on what becomes the inside surface of the split panel section I4, opposed to the cleat 23. These wires are secured continuously to the panels by staples 24 or the like at intervals as shown in Fig. 1.

In assembling or setting up the box, the mortises IBD and I'll) in the cleats l6 and ll of the end panel l0 receive the tenons Mia and l9a on the cleats l8 and IQ of the bottom panel and are engaged therewith as the assembling progresses; the mortises l8?) and Hit) in the cleats l8 and l9 of the bottom panel ll register with and engage the tongues a and Ma in the cleats 20 and 2! of the opposed end panel l2 in a like manner to those hereinabove described.

The section l3 and I4 of the split panel are swung or partially rotated outwardly until the transverse tongues 22a and 23a register with and engage the grooves 201) and 2 lb in the ends of the cleats 20 and 2| of the opposed end panel 12; the transverse mortises 22b and 23b at the same time, register with and engage the tenons Mia and llb in the cleats l6 and ll of the end panel In; the said split panel sections thus forming side panels and completing the unit assembly, the wire connections permitting the panels H3 and I2 to be swung up to vertical and the sections i3 and M to be twisted and swung over into place, the cleats 22 and 23 of the split sections l3 and 14 then becoming top cleats while the reinforcing cleats 24 and 25 of the split panel sections l3 and I4 respectively become bottom cleats and engage the grooves or recesses 26 and 21 in the cleats l1 and 2i and similar grooves in the cleats Mia and 20a in the end panels respectively.

The opposed ends of the wires l5 and I511 are then twisted together as shown substantially in Fig, 5. The box may then be filled and a top nailed on for shipping.

In the modification, a further half panel section 39 is added adjacent the outer edge of the end panel Illa and secured to the original strip of units by a center wire 15b as shown in Fig. 6. The half panel section 30 has a cleat 3| attached at its top edge having tenons, 3la at one end and 3lb at the opposite end; and a reinforcing cleat 32 is attached at the outer edge of said split panel section 30.

In assembling the additional half section 30 with the original box, the wire I50. is cut at 33, the panel 3|] being secured only by the wire I51); and a panel 38a is then attached to the panel 30 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and the double panel is inserted in the middle of the box, the tongues 31a and 31b registering with and engaging the mortise 34a in a cleat 34 secured at the middle of the end panel [0 and a groove 35a in a cleat 35 secured through the center of the opposed end panel [2, respectively, thus forming a center partition to the crate or box.

A cleat 36 secured in the center of the panel I I may be used in place of the cleats 34 and 35 of the panels [0 and I2 to secure the same results. This is indicated by dotted lines as shown in Figs. 6 and 8.

The opposite ends of the wires I5, I50. and i5b are then twisted together as shown in Fig. 8.

This modified form shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, provide narrow cleats 31, 38, 39 and 40 which replace cleats [6, ll, 28 and 2| of the end panels Iila and I2a.

Cleats 4!, 42, 43 and 44 are substituted for the cleats l8, I9, 22 and 23 of the panel H and split panel sections 13 and M respectively or the original box, and have a tongue projecting therefrom off center as shown, the longer end portion 38b extending outward to the outer edge of said cleats 42 and 43 respectively.

The reinforcing cleats 24a and 25a of the split panel sections |3a and 14a also are extended outward to contact the bottom edge of the panels l0 and 12, the narrow cleats eliminating the necessity for the slot 21 shown in the original box, as the wider cleats 24a and 25a when secured to the narrow cleats 4|, 42, 43, and 44 respectively, retain the panels l3a and Ma securely in a vertical plane.

A second modification is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the end panels 45 and 41 and the bottom panel 46 extending to the end of their cleats 50 to inclusive, and the split panel sections 48 and 49 which form the side panels are cut longer, one only being attached at each end of the strip, at opposed sides.

The short panel section 48 has a cleat 56 attached at its upper end, and the opposed short panel section 49 has a cleat 51 attached at its lower end, each panel being twisted or swung around and inserted to form the sides, the tenons and mortises registering and interlocking to form the box shown assembled in Fig. 11, the ends and sides extending to the bottom within the box thus formed and the wires twisted in the positions shown.

The construction provides a knockdown box which can be made and supplied in flat condition with all the parts permanently connected together, and the wire connections permit the ends to be swung up and the side panels I3 and i4 to be swung over and twisted or partially turned to fit between the end panels, the tenons and mortises in all the panels being engaged together to form a rigid structure, and the ends of the wires twisted together to hold the parts in place. By untwisting the wires the units or panels can be disengaged and laid down fiat again if desired. And so the box is capable of repeated use by being knocked down and being set up indefinitely.

Various other modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A knockdown box comprising a bottom panel, an end panel connected to each end thereof, and side panels connected to the outer end of one of the end panels, the connections between the respective panels being sufficiently flexible to permit the end panels to be swung up in opposed relation and the side panels to be swung into position between the end panels, when the box is set up.

2. In a knockdown box or crate the combination of a bottom panel, end panels at each end of the bottom panel, side panels at the outer end of one end panel, and flexible connections between the respective panels comprising wires which may be bent to permit the box to be set up.

3. In a folding box or crate, the combination stated in claim 2, the wires being located adjacent opposite side edges of the panels.

4. In a folding box or crate, the combination stated in claim 2, the bottom and end panels being provided at their side edges with cleats having mortises and tenons which interlock when the box is set up.

5. A knockdown box comprising a string of end, bottom and side panels arranged in a line in a single plane when knocked down and connected to each other by flexible connections permitting the end panels to be swung up to vertical position and the side panels to be swung over into position between the end panels.

6. A folding box comprising a single line of end, bottom and side panels in a single plane when unfolded, and wire connections between the panels extending along the side edges thereof.

7. A folding box as set forth in claim 6, the panels having cleats extending along the side edges thereof. 7

8. In a folding box or crate, the combination of a bottom panel, a side panel at each end of the bottom panel, and a pair of end panels at the outer end of one of the side panels, flexible connections between the bottom panels and the end panels and twistable connections between the side panels and the end panel.

9. A folding box or crate as set forth in claim 8, said connections comprising wires extending along the edges of the panels and across the joints therebetween.

10. In a folding box or crate the combination stated in claim 8, the panels having cleats ex tending along side edges thereof and provided with tenons and mortises which interlock when the box is set up.

11. A folding box comprising a string of bottom, side and end panels arranged when knocked down in a single line and in a single plane, and

flexible connections between the various panels bendable to permit the end panels to be set up to vertical position and the side panels to vertical position between the end panels.

12. A folding box comprising a bottom panel, end panels at opposite ends of the bottom panel, a pair of side panels at the outer end of one end panel, a partition panel at the outer end of the other end panel, and wire connections between the respective panels, bendable to permit the box to be set up.

13. A folding box comprising a bottom panel, end panels at opposite ends of the bottom panel, and a side panel at the outer end of each end panel, and wire connections between the respective panels bendable to permit the panels to be set up.

14. A folding box as in claim 13, and cleats at the edges of the panels having mortises and tenons which interlock when the box is set up.

15. In a folding box or crate comprising a row of bottom, end and side panels arranged in a line and in a single plane when unfolded, and a pair of wires extending along opposite edges of the respective panels and across the joints between them, the wires being bendable to permit the panels to be set up in proper position to form a box.

FRANK D. THOMPSON, JR. 

